Walton Hall Academy students settle into £1m Stafford learning hub
A new town centre facility is helping young people with special educational needs develop independence and prepare for adult life
Students at Walton Hall Academy are settling into a new £1 million learning hub in Stafford town centre following an investment by Staffordshire County Council.
The facility, based at Staffordshire Place 2 on Tipping Street, has been created for students aged 16 to 19, providing a dedicated space where they can continue their education and develop essential life skills.
Known as Flourish, the hub includes six classrooms with new furniture and IT equipment, as well as a reception area, kitchen and dining facilities, intervention rooms, toilets and a nurse's room.
Its town centre location will allow students to take part in more community-based learning, including practising using public transport, visiting local shops and accessing community facilities.
The aim is to help young people build confidence and develop the practical skills they will need as they move towards adulthood, while continuing to receive specialist support.
Janet Higgins, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for education and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), said she was delighted to see students settling into the new facility.
She said the hub would help young people develop confidence, independence and important life skills in a supportive environment.
The project forms part of the council's wider investment in education provision for children with SEND, which also includes a new special school, expansions at existing special schools and resource bases at mainstream schools.
Julie Wood, principal of Walton Hall Academy, said Flourish offered young people valuable opportunities to prepare for adult life.
She said: "At Walton Hall, we believe that every student deserves access to experiences that prepare them for a happy, fulfilled and successful adult life.
"By creating a mature college environment in the heart of Stafford, we are providing our students with meaningful opportunities to develop independence, confidence and employability skills while continuing to receive the specialist support they need."
Mrs Wood added that the facility had exceeded expectations and that its positive impact on students was already evident.